Immortal

This episode makes me upset. This shows how the lawyers big companies make money from individuals and they get squat. Very sad. If I was involved I would sue to get a lot of upfront money and a HUGE trust fund!

Based on the true story of Henrietta Lacks. See the book by Rebecca Skoot.

When reading the plot synopsis prior to first watch, the story did seem very over complicated and far fetched. That was before reading up on the real life case "Immortal" is based on, a complex and harrowing one it is too. This is one of many 'Law and Order' episodes to be based on a real life case, which has often been executed very well indeed and more and then there have been other times where the execution underwhelmed somewhat. Both extremes were present in this season.

"Immortal" to me was excellent. There were many excellent episodes in a final season that was so much better than expected considering the reputations of many final seasons of many great shows, and to be honest on first watch part of me was not expecting this to be as good as it turned out. Don't let the basic premise put you off, it's not near as far fetched or as strange as it sounds and it makes more sense when reading up on the case it's based on.

Like with some episodes in Season 20 and actually of many 'Law and Order' episodes, the final quarter is on the ordinary side.

That is pretty much it though in regard to any criticisms for "Immortal". It is as ever shot with the right amount of intimacy without feeling too up close, even with a reliance of close up camerawork. That the editing has become increasingly tighter over-time is great too. The music isn't over-scored, manipulative or used too much. There is intimacy and tautness in the direction. The regulars are all fine, particularly Linus Roache who dominates the legal scenes with great authority. Lupo and Bernard have grown as a partnership, even if they are nowhere near Briscoe level. Jacinto Taras Riddick terrifies in his role and Seth Gilliam does shrewd very well.

Script is intelligent and lean with no signs of fat. The debating intrigues and provokes thought. The story is securely paced and has some nice edge and grit. It is also very disturbing and sad, and while complex it's not incoherent and it's not far fetched. The legal scenes are riveting and have tension, where it was easy to care for what the verdict would be.

Concluding, excellent. 9/10.

This Law And Order story starts out with the stabbing of one cousin by another in a family dispute. But when Jeremy Sisto and Anthony Anderson investigate further the story is beyond belief.

Both cousins had a grandfather who apparently had magic DNA in his cells. Not as magic Michael Clarke Duncan had in The Green Mile, but the code in that DNA might be the cure for---everything.

The family still at the old homestead in the New Jersey woods lives below the poverty level. Some pharmaceutical has been making money, billions off them for years.

Rapper Doug E. Doug is our defendant and he's ably defended by Seth Gilliam. One of the witnesses is PI Jacinto Taras Riddick who is a mean one, a former cop who got kicked off the force for brutality. No doubt about that when you see him in action.

It's a tough case for Linus Roache and your sympathy ain't with the DA in this one.